Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sliding member in which a recess is formed on the sliding side surface of a sliding alloy layer, an intermediate layer is formed on inner surface of the recess, and a soft layer is formed on the intermediate layer.
There has been known a plain bearing, as a sliding member, having a structure in which a number of groove recesses extending circumferentially (in a direction of shaft rotation) are formed on the sliding side surface of a bearing alloy layer (a sliding alloy layer), an intermediate layer, as a barrier layer, made of a Ni-based material is formed in the recesses, and a soft layer is formed on the intermediate layer (see, for example, JP-A-57-144313). In this case, the soft layer is made of the white metal alloy or resin material.
In such a plain bearing with the structure described above, there are exposed, on the sliding surface of the bearing, the bearing alloy layer and the soft layer formed in the recesses. According to such a structure, the comparatively hard sliding alloy layer can bear a load and the comparatively soft layer can maintain good sliding properties, whereby attaining a structure excellent in load carrying capacity and wear resistance.
However, in the above conventional structure involves a problem that the soft layer in the recesses is liable to be lost due to occurrence of cavitation erosion.